Defence mitigation continues for Solomons' Jimmy "Rasta"

Mitigation for the defence is continuing in the case of the Solomon Islands Fisheries Minister, Jimmy Lusibaea, who's pleaded guilty to charges of assault.

Mr Lusibaea's been in court since this morning awaiting sentencing for the offences of unlawful wounding and assaulting a police officer in execution of his duty, which occurred in 2000 during the ethnic tensions.

Our correspondent in Honiara, Dorothy Wickham, says the defence is trying to mitigate the case in such a way that Mr Lusibaea will get a fair sentence.

"Based on I think his previous remand cases, also the fact that he's traditionally tried to settle it out of court with any of the people that he had caused harm to or problems to during that period and also I think there's some witnesses from the churches who are presenting on behalf of the defence as well as to give his social standing at this point in time."